A conventional cellular antenna typically includes a large steel tower structure that is fixedly attached to a piece of property, such as the ground or a building. This attachment is typically accomplished using concrete pilings or castings, a support structure, or the like. The cellular antenna also typically includes one or more protective structures, such as one or more steel boxes or a small building, that house one or more transmitters and/or receivers operable for serving a plurality of mobile communications devices, and a plurality of mobile communications services customers. Optionally, the cellular antenna may be operably connected to a trunk and send signals to and receive signals from a public-switched telephone network (“PSTN”). This is typically accomplished through a mobile switching center (“MSC”) that includes a plurality of radios, an interface circuit, and a plurality of feeder lines. Such hard-wired cellular antennas are said to have “connectivity.” Other cellular antennas may act as relays, providing only peer-to-peer communications. In this context, the conventional cellular antenna may function as a “base station,” and an expensive piece of infrastructure.
The mobile communications field has experienced explosive growth in recent years. This growth has been due, in large part, to an increase in the ownership and usage of mobile communications devices, such as cellular telephones, pagers, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), laptop computers, and the like. This growth is expected to continue as these mobile communications devices become more sophisticated and as mobile Internet access improves. This increase in the demand for mobile communications services has been especially pronounced in metropolitan areas, where large numbers of mobile communications services customers are present. The density of cellular antennas is at its highest in such areas. Problems may arise, however, when there is a temporary increase in the demand for mobile communications services in these areas, or when there is a temporary increase in the demand for mobile communications services in otherwise low-demand areas not served by many cellular antennas. For example, problems may arise when a sporting event is held or when a disaster or emergency occurs in a metropolitan area, or when a festival is held in a rural area. If there is an existing cellular infrastructure, it may be overwhelmed in such cases. What is typically needed is a temporary increase in the density of cellular antennas to meet the temporary increase in the demand for mobile communications services.
One possible solution to the problems described above is to position a temporary or mobile cellular antenna in the area experiencing the increase in the demand for mobile communications services. A conventional temporary cellular antenna typically includes a small steel tower structure that is fixedly attached to a piece of property, such as the ground or a building. This attachment is typically accomplished using a support structure or the like. A conventional mobile cellular antenna, also referred to as “cellular on wheels” (“COW”), also typically includes a small steel tower structure. The small steel tower structure, however, is typically movably attached to a vehicle, such as a van or a flatbed truck. Although such solutions are marginally effective, it is not always possible to position a temporary or mobile cellular antenna in an area experiencing an increase in the demand for mobile communications services. In metropolitan areas, for example, the use of such structures may be prohibited by zoning regulations or space constraints. In rural areas, for example, the use of such structures may be prohibited by environmental regulations or geographical/topographical constraints. Even if a temporary or mobile cellular antenna may be positioned in the area experiencing the increase in the demand for mobile communications services, it may not be possible to move the temporary or mobile cellular antenna to achieve the best available transmission and reception characteristics. In other words, it may not be possible to optimize the performance of the temporary or mobile cellular antenna and the cellular infrastructure.
Thus, what is needed is a mobile aerial communications antenna that is relatively simple, inexpensive, may be positioned rapidly, and may be moved to achieve the best available transmission and reception characteristics. What is also needed is a mobile aerial communications antenna that may either have connectivity or act as a relay. What is further needed is a mobile aerial communications antenna that may be deployed in search and rescue operations.
Currently, the location of a mobile communications device may be determined using a plurality of triangulation methods. These triangulation methods compare the signal strength of the mobile communications device as received by a plurality of mobile communications antennas, providing the location of the mobile communications device with respect to each of the plurality of mobile communications antennas. For example, the location of a cellular telephone with respect to a given cellular antenna may be determined by analyzing the relative signal strength of the cellular telephone as received by the cellular antenna. The location of a mobile communications device including a global positioning system (“GPS”) receiver may also be periodically reported to a mobile communications services provider by the mobile communications device itself. These mobile communications location services are important because they may allow a mobile communications device, and a mobile communications services customer, to be located in the event of a disaster or an emergency.
In the event of a disaster or an emergency, however, the signal of the mobile communications device may be blocked or diminished by rubble or debris, or weakened by low battery power. Similarly, the signal may never be received if the mobile communications antenna towers in the area are destroyed or disabled. Thus, what is needed is a mobile aerial communications antenna that is capable of moving into and/or over a disaster area such that blocked, diminished, weakened, or otherwise unreceived mobile communications device signals may be detected, allowing the location of a mobile communications device and a mobile communications services customer to be determined.